#CorkHarbour – The increasing strategic importance of Cork Harbour as a base for the oil and gas energy sector in the search for natural resources particularly off our southern shores, is evident with this recent view taken by our colleagues of the platform supply vessel (PSV) Bourbon Clear passing Cobh, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Not only is Bourbon Clear painted with a distinctive green hull but also features an unconventional bow which is of the X-BOW design, a unique and environmentally-friendly hull line design that is patented by her Norwegian developers Ulstein.

The odd looking X-Bow has an inverted bow design which was first introduced in 2005 with the Bourbon Orca, her introduction caused quite a splash in the offshore maritime world and beyond.

Since then, more 60 vessels of various designs have been completed with the specialist bow form which claims to improve handling in rough seas and in reduced levels of fuel consumption.

The 4,000 tonnes newbuild has further Nordic connections as the owners are Bourbon Offshore Norway. The company have a fleet of vessels that utilizise in the very latest design and technology so to provide supplies to oil and oil-related companies all over the world.

Bourbon Clear passes Port Control at 'The Holy Ground' area of Cork Harbour. Photo: Bob Bateman

Currently Bourbon have newbuilds under construction and they are of the Ulstein PX105 PSV design in which the 80m Bourbon Clear belongs to this series having been launched last year from a Chinese shipyard.

Bourbon Clear has called previously to Cobh Cruise Terminal and in the background of the (TOP) photo, is yet another Norwegian flagged vessel, Hurtigruten's Fram, the polar expedition cruiseship which visited Dublin Port yesterday.